Edward Mortimer

Edward Mortimer "has worked in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations since 1998, as head of the Speechwriting Unit and also, since 2001, Director of Communications.

"Born in 1943 at Burford, England, Mr Mortimer is a British citizen. In 1962, after volunteer service as an English teacher in Senegal, he went up to Oxford University, where he took an MA degree in history and later became a Fellow of All Souls College. Between 1967 and 1985 he worked for The Times of London - first as assistant Paris correspondent, then, from 1973, as foreign specialist and leader-writer on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean affairs. In 1987 he joined the Financial Times, where he was the main Foreign Affairs commentator (writing a signed column as well as many of the editorials) until he joined the UN in 1998.

"Mr Mortimer is the author of several books and pamphlets including France and the Africans (1969), Faith and Power: the Politics of Islam (1982), The World That FDR Built (1989), European Security after the Cold War (1992) and A Few Words on Intervention (1995); and co-editor of People, Nation and State: the Meaning of Ethnicity and Nationalism (1999)."

"Edward Mortimer was director of communications in the office of the UN secretary-general until December 2006.

"He is now senior vice-president and chief programme officer of the Salzburg Seminar."

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